Preface - Acknowledgements - PART 1: STUDYING POETRY - Reading, Thinking and Writing - Words and Meanings - Line and Rhythm - Sound, Rhyme and Form - The Poem as a Whole - PART 2: STUDYING NOVELS - Authors - Characters - Setting - Plot and Story - Themes - PART 3: STUDYING DRAMA - The Conventions of Drama - The Language of Drama - Character and Plot - Tragedy and Comedy - The Theatre of the Imagination - PART 4: AS YOU STUDY - Reading, Notes, Preparation - Interpretation - Effectiveness - Questions - Examination - PART 5: GLOSSARY - PART 6: SUGGESTIONS FOR FURTHER READING - General Index - Index of Authors and Works

Ideal for GCSE, A/AS-level, Further and Adult Education courses, Introduction to degrees. The second edition of this popular book has been fully revised and up-dated to reflect changes in syllabuses, and to include an even wider range of examples and quotations. Questions and practice material are included throughout which will help students feel confident about tackling texts on their own.